19.19: A Close Reading on Worldbuilding: An Overview and why A Memory Called Empire
Writing Excuses
Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
4.6 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2024
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Why is worldbuilding is essential in your writing? Today, we answer this question and dive into some working definitions of how we want to talk about it. After the break, we discuss why we chose this book Arkady Martine’s “A Memory Called Empire” and highlight what it does well. We dive into the elements that help make Martine’s worldbuilding so accessible and effective.
Thing of the Week:
“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman (think about what it teaches you about POV!)
Homework:
Pick your favorite fictional worlds and for each write down three defining attributes that establish culture, legal systems, and physical spaces.
Here’s a link to buy your copy of “A Memory Called Empire” if you haven’t already:
https://bookshop.org/lists/close-readings-season-19
Sign up for our newsletter:
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Join Our Writing Community!
Our Sponsors:
* Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com
* Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | At Parker, our purpose is simple. |
| 0:02.6 | We want to make the world a better place, |
| 0:05.2 | by working more efficiently, by using more sustainable practices, |
| 0:09.7 | by developing better technologies. |
| 0:12.0 | We keep moving forward. |
| 0:14.3 | With each new idea, innovation, and partnership, we're one step closer to fulfilling our purpose |
| 0:20.9 | every single day. |
| 0:22.8 | To find out more, visit Parker.com slash purpose. |
| 0:27.1 | Parker, engineering your success. |
| 0:30.4 | This episode of writing excuses has been brought to you by our listeners, patrons, and friends. |
| 0:35.5 | If you would like to learn how to support this podcast, visit |
| 0:39.0 | www.patreon.com slash writing excuses. |
| 0:45.0 | Hey listeners, we want your input on season 20, which I have to be honest does not sound like a real number. |
| 0:51.0 | What elements of the craft do you want us to talk about? What episode |
| 0:55.6 | or core concept do you use or reference or recommend the most? What are you just having trouble |
| 1:01.9 | with? After 20 seasons, we've talked about a lot. What element of writing do you wish we'd |
| 1:05.0 | of writing do you wish we'd revisit for a deeper dive on the |
| 1:10.2 | podcast? |
| 1:11.2 | Email your ideas to podcast at writing excuses.com. |
| 1:15.0 | Season 19, episode 19. This is writing excuses. |
| 1:24.0 | A close reading on world building, an overview and why a memory called Empire. |
| 1:28.0 | 15 minutes long. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.